PARENTS of pupils have joined forces to raise funds for the running costs of a minibus used by Cheeverstown students.

Cheeverstown in Templeogue caters for children with both intellectual and physical disabilities. Joey Dunbar aged five who suffers from Autism, ADHD and has learning difficulties is just one of many students attending Cheeverstown who benefits from the minibus service for transportation.

Joey’s mother Doreen Dunbar decided to organise a fundraiser when she and the other parents received no support to help fund the costs of running the bus service.

According to Ms Dunbar who is a resident of Brookfield, “the costs that need to be covered include petrol, NCT and insurance to name a few”. She also emphasised that the car seats alone that are required will cost a total of €3,600.

Ms Dunbar and her husband Richard O’Neill appealed to councillor and owner of Tallaght Adventure World, Dermot Richardson, to help promote the cause.

She said that she and Cllr Richardson spread word of the event via Facebook and knocked on doors to make people aware of the cause.

Her efforts resulted in the school’s first fundraising night being hosted in Tallaght Adventure World on Tuesday, August 8.

Tickets to participate in activities were sold at €5 per person and all money raised from this was donated directly to the cause. Local shops and businesses also donated toys and goodies to raffle off on the night and money raised was also donated towards the bus service.

In total the amount raised was €2,000, something that Ms Dunbar emphasises couldn’t have been achieved without the help of Cllr Richardson, and family, friends and the community.

This, however, is only the first step towards a larger goal of €10,000 which needs to be raised in order to secure the costs needed for long-term use of the minibus.

Cheeverstown and the local parents are determined to organise more fundraisers like this in the future to help reach their €10,000 goal and they will need all the support they can get.

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